Replaceable heel and outsole structure for shoes



A. HERSCHDORF 3,083,476

April 2, 1963 REPLACEABLE HEEL AND OUTSOLE STRUCTURE FOR SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed April 10, 1961 FIG. 3

,4 TTOR/VEV April 2, 1963 A. HERSCHDORF 3,083,476

REPLACEABLE HEEL AND OUTSOLE STRUCTURE FOR SHOES Filed April 10, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN [/5 N TOR UR HE RS C HDORF ATTORNEY 3,683,476 REPLAtIEABLE @EL AND OUTSGLE STRUCTURE FGR SHQES Arthur Herschdorf, 138-40 31st Road, Flushing, N.Y. Filed Apr. 19, 196i, Ser. No. 101,976 11 Ciaims. (Q1. 36-45) This invention relates to a shoe construction and more particularly to a shoe having readily replaceable outsoles and heels.

There have been many attempts in the past to provide home repair kits for replacing the outsoles and heels of shoes, particularly where children are involved. Such home repair kits have included pre-gummed outsoles and heels which upon wetting were pasted over the damaged outsole or heel of the shoe. In other instances the bottom of the shoes have been provided with clamping arrangements whereby the new outsole and heel were attached to the shoe. Such clamping arrangements have been quite heavy and cumbersome and proved uncomfortable in wearing.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a replaceable outsole and heel for shoes wherein the fastening means are of extremely light weight and are so arranged that the resilience of the fastening means provides a soft and flexible connection which will follow the bending and flexing of the wearers foot.

In accordance with my invention, I secure to the bottom of the shoe insole a substantially U-shaped channel of flexible material which is substantially C-shaped in crosssection, the channel having gaps at predetermined intervals. The heel of the shoe is also provided with a similar channel, the latter being substantially U-shaped and continuous, that is, without gaps, as viewed from the bottom of the shoe. The separations or gaps in the channel affixed to the bottom of the shoe insole are provided one across the forward end of the shoe ahead of the ball of the foot and, the other, under the arch of the foot. The replaceable outsole is treated chemically to firm the edges thereof and is cut slightly longer than the required length.

In replacing the outsole of a shoe, the shoe is firmly grasped in one hand the heel end of the outsole is inserted between the channels back of the shank of the shoe and slid rearwardly, the rear end of the outsole fitting within a recess provided therefor in the heel of the base shoe. The insole of the shoe is then pressed or squeezed so that the insole bulges concavely downwardly, and the outsole is squeezed or pressed to conform therewith, the ends thereof being slipped under the channels provided therefor. The toe portion of the shoe is then slightly flexed and inserted in the toe channel. In replacing the heel of the shoe, a holding plate provided for the heel is first lifted and the edges of the heel inserted between the heel channel. The holding plate is thenreleased and secured in the manner hereinafter described to hold the replaceable heel in place.

The shoe construction of the instant invention is built for rugged wear and will stand up in all weather. Because all parts are precision built and the peripheral surfaces of the replaceable heels and soles accurately register with the peripheral faces of the permanent portions of the shoe heel and soles, respectively, the exterior appearance of the heels and soles is just as in ordinary shoes. It is obvious that with the instant construction, a plurality of heel and outsole sets, each set for a different weather condition, can be provided for the shoes when originally purchased.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a shoe incorporating my invention and illustrating the channels secured to the bottom of the shoe insole;

3,83,47h Patented Apr. 2, 1983 FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

PEG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe showing the replaceable outsole in place;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV--IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plane view of the shoe with the removable or treading heel removed, while FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another method of securing the heel holding plate.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a shoe incorporating the present invention, only the elements of the shoe construction essential to an understanding of the invention having been illustrated in the drawing, while the upper portion of the shoe to a large extent has been eliminated from the drawing. The shoe 10 includes an insole 11 to which are secured, as by rivets 12, a toe channel 13, side channels 14 and shank channels 15. The channels are made of resilient material and in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 2, have a substantially C-shaped form with the open edges of the rails facing inwardly as more particularly shown in FIG. 3. It should be noted that the shank channels 15 are straight and parallel to each other while the side channels 14 and the toe channels 13 follow the outer periphery of the shoe insole 11.

The removable outsole 16 has a peripheral slit 16 at such height above the treading face of such outsole that with the upper face of such removable outsole against the lower face of the insole 11, the formed upper peripheral portion 16" of such outsole will project into the channels 13, 14 and 15, forming a tight fit thereinto. In attaching a removable outsole 16 to the shoe, the heel end of such outsole, which is slightly longer than required, is inserted between the parallel shank channels 15 with siit l6 straddling the lower edge of the channel and formed portion 16 within the channel, and slid back to insert the heel end thereof into a notch 17 formed in the forward portion of heel base 18A below the heel portion 118' of the insole, the latter being then squeezed or pressed to bulge it concavely downwardly and the edges of removable outsole 16 then are similarly inserted into side channels 14-. The toe end of the outsole is then similarly inserted in the toe channel 13 by slightly flexing the toe portion of the shoe.

The toe channel 13 is separated from the side channels 14 by small gaps or spaces 19, while the side channels 14 are separated from the shank channels 15 by small gaps or spaces 2%. The gaps 19 are located slightly forward of the ball of the foot while the gaps 29 are located under the arch. The gaps 19* and 20 provide the necessary breaks in the channel arrangement for trouble-free insertion of the outsole edges and at the same time provide breaks or discontinuities in the system of the channels at the flexing point of the foot of the wearer. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the flexible channels provided on the shoe insole support the weight of the wearer and due to their flexibility add a certain resilience to the step of the wearer.

Referring now in particular to FiGS. 4 and 5, there is secured to the bottom of the permanent heel base 18A, a heel channel 21 similar in construction to the channels provided for the outsole, the heel channel having a generally U-shaped configuration as viewed from the bottom as in FIG. 5. As previously set forth, the heel base 13A of the shoe is provided with a rearwardly extending slot or groove 17 into which the heel end of the outsole passes. Below the slot 17 a small flange 22 is thus formed in the lower region of the heel base 18A, and a formed and removable holding plate 24 is inserted in slot 17, the lower portion of the holding plate fitting about flange 2-2 and terminating in a turned or roll section 25 therebelow having its open end facing the toe end of the shoe. The

heel end of the outsole 16 slips into the recess 17 and rests upon the holding plate end 23 as illustrated in FIG. 4. With the removable heel 27 positioned in place, the holding plate .24 is securedto the insole as by screws :28 passing downwardly from the interior of-the shoe and into the end region 230i the holding plate. The screws 28 of which three equally spaced from each other are shown in FIGURE 3, pass through registering threaded apertures 29 in the portion of the insole extending into the heel recess 17, through somewhat longitudinally elongated apertures 30 in the holding plate end 213, and into threaded cores of the heel base 18A. Preferably apertures 29 are reinforced with metal rings 31 so that tearing or enlarging of the-apertures by screws 28 is prevented. To remove the removable heel 27, the screws 28 are unscrewed and the holding plate 24 moved to withdraw the rounded end portion 25 of the holding plate from a suitable transverse notch 32 provided in the removable heel 27. With the holding plate 24 released, the heel 27 may then be moved forwardly to withdraw the edges of the heel from the heel channel 21. The holding plate 24 is preferably of such dimension transverse the heel base, that neither end thereof extends as far as the exterior lateral faces of the heel base and the removable heel, thus concealing it from view from both the right and left when the shoe is worn.

To attach a removable heel 27 to the shoe the sequence of operations is reversed in that the removable heel is first slid backwardly in the heel channel 21 and the heel holding plate 24 then secured in place by the screws 28.

In FIG. 6 I have illustrated a peg 33 of resilient material preferably having an enlarged head which is recessed within the insole 11 which may be used in the place and instead of screws 28. The peg 33 is of general conical shape and provided with a narrow throat portion or notch 34 which forms a gripping element to hold the peg securely in an opening 35 in the insole 11. The lower end of the peg 33 engages a suitable opening 36 in the heel holding plate 24. Removal or insertion of the peg from and into the holding plate is a relatively simple matter, the resilient head of the peg being readily lifted and the peg pulled out for removal, and pressed in for insertion.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe in which each the outsole and removable heel is readily removed and attached, and wherein the heel forms a' portion of the securing means forholding the heel end of the sole securely in place on the shoe. It is thus possible with my invention that in buying a pair of shoes to obtain at the same time an extra set or sets of outsoles and removable heels for replacing the worn out parts as needed, and thus provide a long wearing, comfortable and economical pair of shoes. In inclement weather, furthermore, the wet outsoles may conveniently be replaced with a dry spare pair by the wearer; or, in advance of wearing the shoes on rainy days, a pair of water-repellent outsoles may be inserted. Attention .is also directed to the extreme convenience that outsoles and heels are each replaceable even though shoe repair shops are not accessible because of location or because the shops are closed on holidays or Sundays.

What 1 claim is:

l. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe, comprising an elongated shoe insole, a heel base permanently secured-to the insole, outsole receiving channel means fastened to the bottom of the shoe insole around the outer edge region thereof and spaced inwardly from the outer edges thereof for securing an outsole to said shoe, means provided for said heel base to hold the heel end of the outsole on said shoe, channel means fastened to the bottom of the heel base around the outer edges thereof and spaced inwardly therefrom for slidably retaining a removable shoe heel, and holding means securable to the forward end of the heel base to fasten the removable heel to the shoe.

2. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 1, wherein the insole and heel base channel means are of resilient material having a substantially C-shaped cross-section.

3. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 2, wherein the insole channel means comprises a toe channel, two side channels and two shank channels, the shank channels being parallel to each other, and the toe, side and shank channels being separated by gaps located at the regions of flexure of the shoe.

4. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe comprising an elongated shoe insole, a heel base secured to the insole, channel means fastened to the bottom of the shoe insole for securing an outsole to the shoe, a recess in the heel base for receiving the heel end of the outsole, a recess in the heel base, an extension from the lower face of the heel base, and a holding member secured within the recess, the holding member being of resilient material and formed with a roll section for securinga removable heel to the shoe.

5. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe comprising an elongated shoe insole, a heel base secured to the insole, channel means fastened to the bottom of the shoe insole for securing an outsole to the shoe, a recess in the heel base for receiving the heel end of the outsole, heel base channel means secured to the heel base for slidably retaining a removable shoe heel, a recess in the forward end region of the heel base, and a holding member secured within the recess, the holding member being of resilient material and formed with a roll section for securing a removable heel to the shoe.

6. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 5 wherein the heel base channel means comprises a resilient rail of substantially C-shaped cross-section with the open end of the channel facing inwardly, the heel base channel being substantially U-shaped when viewed in elevation.

7. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 5, wherein the portion of the holding member within the recess is secured to the heel base by means of recessed screws passing downwardly through the insole and into the holding member and the heel base.

8. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 7 in which the heel end of the insole defines a plurality of apertures through which the recessed screws pass with the outsole in place.

9. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 8 in which a metal ring rein forces each aperture-definingregion of the heel end of the outsole.

10. A removable outsole and heel construction for a shoe according to claim 5, wherein the portion of the holding member within the recess is secured by a recessed peg passing downwardly through the insole into the holding member and the heel base, the peg being of resilient material and having a notch for clamping the edges of an aperture in the insole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,260,901 Hayhurst Mar. 26, 19 18 1,318,247 Victor Oct. 7, 1919 1,696,058 Rubin Dec. 18, 1928 2,528,951 Epsztejn Nov. 7, 1950 

1. A REMOVABLE OUTSOLE AND HEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR A SHOE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHOE INSOLE, A HEEL BASE PERMANENTLY SECURED TO THE INSOLE, OUTSOLE RECEIVING CHANNEL MEANS FASTENED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE INSOLE AROUND THE OUTER EDGE REGION THEREOF AND SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE OUTER EDGES THEREOF FOR SECURING AN OUTSOLE TO SAID SHOE, MEANS PROVIDED FOR SAID HEEL BASE TO HOLD THE HEEL END OF THE OUTSOLE ON SAID SHOE, CHANNEL MEANS FASTENED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HEEL BASE AROUND THE OUTER EDGES THEREOF AND SPACED INWARDLY THEREFROM FOR SLIDABLY RETAINING A REMOVABLE SHOE HEEL, AND HOLDING MEANS SECURABLE TO THE FORWARD END OF THE HEEL BASE TO FASTEN THE REMOVABLE HEEL TO THE SHOE. 